• Ballad: Thomson Green And Harriet Hale (To be sung to the Air of “An ‘Orrible Tale.”) Cover
      by LovelyMay In the whimsical ballad of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale, a tale unfolds that is as amusing as it is implausible, best captured by the recurring sentiment, "Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!" Thomson Green, an auctioneer with an annual income of three hundred pounds, happens upon Harriet Hale, a pianoforte instructor of some repute, in the charming confines of Regent's Park. Their initial encounter, marked by Green's offhand admiration for the day's beauty, sparks a romance that…
    • Ballad: Sir Macklin Cover
      by LovelyMay Sir Macklin is a tale from "The Bab Ballads" focusing on the stern, moralizing efforts of Sir Macklin, a priest determined to correct the wayward paths of three young men: Tom, Bob, and Billy. These youths, known for their vain and carefree dispositions, habitually spent their Sundays strolling and chatting in various parks and gardens, blatantly ignoring the Sabbath law and the principles of decency and restraint that Sir Macklin vehemently espoused. Sir Macklin, described as a priest of severe demeanor…
    • Ballad: Bob Polter Cover
      by LovelyMay Bob Polter was a hardworking navvy of thirty-two, known for his coarse hands and sun-tanned, rough face. Without a wife, he lived simply among his working peers, embodying the characteristics of a decent, albeit imperfect, English working man. Despite his modest indulgence in smoking and a daily pot of beer—which occasionally increased in quantity or led to convivial nights and even fights on Saturdays—Bob was fundamentally a sober, responsible laborer. One day, while at the Nelson's Head, a…
    • Ballad: The Yarn Of The “Nancy Bell” Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Yarn of the Nancy Bell," narrated by an ancient sailor found between Deal and Ramsgate, unfolds a gruesome tale of survival at sea. The elderly naval figure, with his unkempt hair and lengthy beard, chants a peculiar song of being the sole survivor of the Nancy Bell, claiming to embody every role aboard from captain to cook, and even the crew of the captain's gig. His wild gestures and frayed appearance suggest a man touched by hardship and madness, a notion that does little to quell the listener's…
    • Ballad: The Bishop Of Rum-Ti-Foo Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Bishop of Rum-Ti-Foo," a whimsical narrative unfurls about a Bishop named Peter, who is appointed to the exotic isle of Rum-ti-Foo. This charming ballad, peppered with humor and a light-hearted tone, encapsulates the Bishop's adventures and his earnest attempts to assimilate with the natives of Rum-ti-Foo. These locals, numbered at twenty-three, express their culture through the vibrant beats of the tum-tum and a peculiar culinary preference for scalps marinated in rum. Bishop Peter, in his…
    • THE AIR OF THE “WHISTLING OYSTER.”) Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Bab Ballads," a humorous chapter titled "THE AIR OF THE 'WHISTLING OYSTER,'" narrates the unusual story of an elderly prophet, aged seventy-three, and his young, beautiful bride of just eighteen. Despite the vast age gap and the peculiarity of their union, the couple surprisingly had a child—a boy whose early penchant for adult indulgences astounded everyone. From the moment of his birth, the child was not only born with a metaphorical pipe in his mouth and a glass in his eye, symbolizing an…
    • Ballad: Baines Carew, Gentleman Cover
      by LovelyMay In the realm of tender-hearted attorneys, none shone as brightly as Baines Carew, a man whose soul was as sensitive as his legal mind was sharp. Whenever tales of distress reached his ears from clients, his heart would swell with empathy, to the point where accepting payments became a struggle, burdened by his overwhelming compassion. Such sensitivity often came at a personal cost. The duties of his profession, such as foreclosing mortgages, suing, and even the act of distraining for unpaid rent,…
    • Ballad: Thomas Winterbottom Hance Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Bab Ballads," the ballad "Thomas Winterbottom Hance" tells the playful tale of an unmatched swordsman in Merry England, Thomas Winterbottom Hance, celebrated for his extraordinary ability to cleave objects like silk handkerchiefs and legs of mutton cleanly in two with his saber, without any strain. His daily practice in Dover draws the ire of Monsieur Pierre from across the channel in Calais. Pierre, proclaiming himself the bravest in France, is irritated and vexed by Hance's saber skills, mocking…
    • Ballad: The Reverend Micah Sowls Cover
      by LovelyMay In "The Bab Ballads," the ballad titled "The Reverend Micah Sowls" presents a comedic and critical look at the hypocrisy often associated with moralizing figures of authority, specifically targeting the clergy. The poem begins with an energetic and almost aggressive description of the Reverend Micah Sowls, a clergyman who passionately condemns the stage (theatre) as a domain of evil and immorality, urging his congregation to avoid it at all costs. His fervor is heightened by the presence of his bishop in…
    • Ballad: A Discontented Sugar Broker Cover
      by LovelyMay In "A Discontented Sugar Broker" from *The Bab Ballads*, we are introduced to a prominent figure in the East India broking scene, whose identity remains undisclosed out of respect for privacy. This individual enjoys considerable success in his profession, evidenced by his financial stability, a dedicated spouse, a team consisting of a manager, a few boys, six clerks, and seven porters, and a home free from creditors. Despite this outward prosperity, he harbors a personal dissatisfaction stemming from his…
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